Air or gas lift pump



y 6, 1935. c. K. TAGGART AIR OR GAS LIFT PUMP Filed May 10, 1933 2Sheets-Sheet 1 July 16, 1935. a. K. TAGGART AIR 0R GAS LIFT PUMP FiledMay 10, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTGR ATTORNEY Patented July 16, 1935UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to oil or water well equipment and it hasparticular reference to pumping facilities for producing oil orextracting water from subterranean areas by air or gas pressure and itsprincipal object resides in the provision of apparatus capable ofattachment within a conventional oil or water well and calculated toreceive suflicient fluid pressure to force a maximum amount of liquid tothe earths surface at a minimum cost. 7

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of such adevice as will greatly reduce the usual attendant production cost of oilwells, and the like, and afford a means whereby maximum results can berealized. A particularly desirable feature of the invention is manifestin the simplicity of construction and dependability of its operation,lifting a large column of fluid,

by introduction of air or gas from the earths surface at a pointadjacent to or remote from the mouth of the well. The natural gaspressure in the well can also be augmented by the introduction of air orgas pressure from the earths surface to assist in lifting the column ofliquid.

Still another object of the invention is manifest in the provision of ameans whereby the lifting force can be completely and easily controlledat the earths surface thereby enabling the production operation to beconducted at will, that is to say, afiording a means whereby productioncan be started or stopped as desired.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of adevice which is particularly advantageous in the oil fields whereproduction has been materially curtailed and where only a given amountof oil is allowed to be produced in a given period of timeand wherepumping is periodical rather than continuous. The invention, as outlinedin the foregoing paragraphs, is capable of operation at will and enablesthe producer to reduce his production expense yet without sacrificingefliciency in such production.

While the foregoing objects are paramount,

other and lesser objects will become manifest as the descriptionproceeds taken in connection with the appended drawings wherein:

Figure l is a vertical cross-sectional elevational view of the uppermostportion of the invention projecting above the derrick floor.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional View of the inventionillustrating the valve arrangement in the lowermost portion thereof andwhich projects into the well.

Figure 3 is a lateral cross-sectional view taken on lines 3-3 of Figure3.

Figure 4 is a lateral cross-sectional View taken on lines 4- 5 of Figure2, and

Figure 5 is a complete layout of the invention. l It will accordingly bepresently shown that a .means of positive control from a point outsideof the well is aiforded by which the fluid discharge annular eductor 26and the air line 25 can be left free of fluid when the pumping period iscompleted, and whereby the said annular eductor 26 and the air line25-can be kept in that condition until the fluid valve 35 in the footpiece is manually opened irrespective of whether compressed air or gasis introduced into the pump or not. The fluid discharge annular eductorbeing empty at the beginning of the pumping period, thereby allowingcompressed or gas to pass freely down through the air line 25, andthence upward through the annular eductor 26 before the fluid valve isopened, obviates the necessity of excessive pressures in kicking off orstarting the well to flowing, as is usual in air lift pumps.

One form of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.The collar 24 is the top collar of the outside casing 28 of a well. A-fluid annular eductor 26 contains a compressed air tubing 30. A stringof tubing is hung from a special collar i9, which is fluid and gastight, with respect to a cross i8, due to its having a ground joint seatin the cross ill. The cross I8 is threaded into the collar 24. Twoopenings 22 and 23, one of which may be plugged, as for instance by abull plug 20, and the other carrying a .vent line 2|, provides meansofdischarge (when used in an oil well) should the well flow through thecasing 28. Another cross'l3 is threaded into the cross I8, and isprovided with two outlets I6 and I1, one or both of which can be usedfor discharge of the fluid and air and/ or gas, that vents through theannular eductor 26.

A device islillustrated in Figure 1 that will positively and eflicientlyraise or lower the air tubing 30 in the well. The tubing 30 acts as astem for the fluid valve 34 in the lowermost end of the assembly asillustrated in Figure 2.. The air tubing'30'is supported by a collar 2on the plate 3 which in turn is supported by a screw jack 1, which slipsloosely around the tubing 3%..

A nut which is provided with square female threads mesh with the malethreads on the screw jack 1. The nut 4 rests on a ball bearing race 5,which in turn sets in a recess on top of the support 6. The nut 4 iscapstan headed having drilled holes into which a lever handle 9 can beinserted to rotate the nut 4, which raises or lowers the screw jack 7and consequently raises or lowers the tubing 38 and the valve 34 in thesame manner, since the tubing 30 is suspended from a collar on the screwjack 5. A guide it is keyed rigidly to the lower end of the screwjack 1. The outer extremities of the guide 10 have recesses which engagethe splines 8, and which cause the screw jack 1 and the tubing 33. tomove upwardly and downwardly without turning or twisting as the nut Q isrotated. A stufiing box ll prevents leakage of air or fluid around thetubing 35 when the same is raised or lowered.

The foot piece is threaded onto the tubing 29.

A valve seat 35 is turned in the foot piece and is closed or opened bylowering or raising the valve 33, which latter is blind and is threadedonto the bottom of the air tubing 38. The lower part of the tubing 38 isprovided with perforations which are sufficient in area to allow theescape of compressed air or gas into the annular eductor 2S and stillmaintain the proper back. pressure within the tubing 30. The verticalguides 33 keep the valve 34 centered in the tubing Bfiand preventschattering when the valve 34 is raised to allow the entrance of fluidinto the annular eductor 26. A check or standing valve 39 maybe'threaded into the collar 38 an arbitrary distance below the footpiece. A standing valve 39 may be used to prevent any possibility ofcompressed air or gas exerting any back pressure on the producing sands.Perforations M are placed in the tubing anchor 45 below the standingvalve 39.

When it is desired to start the well pumping, compressed air or gas isforced downwardly through the tubing 39, which latter is practicallyempty of'oil or water, as is also the annular educ-.

inland circulate freely downwardly to the foot piece and then upwardlythrough the annular eductor 26. The valve 34 is then gradually opened byrevolving the nut 4 on the screw jack 5 until a maximum amount of oiland/or water is passing upwardly through the tubing 40, the standingvalve 39 and into the annular eductor 5: 3, for the particularamount ofair or gas being used at that time, and is aerated or lightened by itscoiningling with the compressed air or gas and so passes up through theannular eductorZS and is discharged from the well through one of twoopenings, E4 or E5, in the cross Hi to a container such as a tank or the,like' not shown. The

amount of air entering and the amount of liquid being discharged canthus be regulated from points outside of the well to obtain maximumefficiency.

To cease the pumping operation, the valve 34 is lowered into its seat 35by revolving the nut 4 on the screw jack 5, at the top of the well,while Should a small amount of oil or/and' the compressed air or gas isstill circulating upwardly through the annular eductor 26, therebycleaning the annular eductor 26 of oil and/or water. 7

Manifestly, the construction shown and herein described is capable ofconsiderable modification by those skilled in the art, suchmodification, however, as is considered within the spirit and intent ofthe invention is also considered .within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a bored well casing and a string of tubing, anair tube, concentrically arranged within the said tubing, a valve seatair disposed within the said tube, a valve closure fixed upon thelowermost end of the said air tube and capable of engaging the saidvalve seat, air

outlets -for the said air tube, an exteriorly threaded sleeve membersurrounding the upper end of the said air tube having a capstan threadedthereupon, guide means secured to the lowermost end of the said threadedsleeve member to prevent the rotation of the latter when the saidcapstan is rotated thereon to move'thesaid air tube vertically toactuate the said valve 2. A gas or air lift pump capable of operation incombination. with an oil well casing and string of tubing, an air tubeconcentrically arranged within the said tubing and capable of verticalmovement therein, a'valve seat positioned within the said string oftubing and avalve closure fixed upon the lowermost end of the said airtube, air outlets for said air tubing, a cylindrical housing arrangedupon the uppermost end-of the said casing, an exteriorly threadedtubular member 7 concentrically arranged within the said housing andsurrounding the uppermost end of the said air tube, a capstan threadedupon the said tubular member, a bearing race seated upon the uppermostend of the said cylinder capable of supporting the said capstan,guide means restraining the said .threaded sleeve member againstrotation when the said capstan is rotated thereon to vertically movevalve.

I 3. In combination with a bored well casing, and 7 string of tubing,cross-heads arranged in super-. imposed relationship in the head of thesaid casing, a cylindrical housing vertically arranged upon the saidcross-heads, auair tube concentrically arranged within the saidcylindrical housing and extending downwardly through the said tubingcapable of vertical adjustment therein, a valve seat positioned in thesaid tubing, a valve closure fixed at the lowermost end of the said airtube capable of engaging the said valve .seat,. air outlets arranged inthesaid air tube, anexteriorly threaded sleeve surrounding the said airtube within the said cylindrical housing freely engag ing the outerwalls of the said air tube, an interiorly threaded capstan positionedupon the said sleeve and capable of vertically moving the same,

guide means secured to the said sleeve capable of the said air tube toactuate thesaid

